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Mongol Invasion Of India, 1303
In 1303, a Mongol army from the Chagatai Khanate launched an invasion of the Delhi Sultanate, when two major units of the Delhi army were away from the city. The Delhi Sultan Alauddin Khalji, who was away at Chittor when the Mongols started their march, returned to Delhi in a hurry. However, he was unable to make adequate war preparations, and decided to take shelter in a well-guarded camp at the under-construction Siri Fort. The Mongols, led by Taraghai, besieged Delhi for over two months, and ransacked its suburbs. Ultimately, they decided to retreat, having been unable to breach Alauddin's camp. The invasion was one of the most serious Mongol invasions of India, and prompted Alauddin to take several measures to prevent its recurrence. He strengthened military presence along the Mongol routes to India, and implemented economic reforms to ensure adequate revenue streams for maintaining a strong army. Background Alauddin Khalji, the ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, had succes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mongol Invasions Of India
The Mongol Empire launched several invasions into the Indian subcontinent from 1221 to 1306, with many of the later raids made by the Qaraunas of Mongol origin. The Mongols occupied parts of the subcontinent for decades. As the Mongols progressed into the Indian hinterland and reached the outskirts of Delhi, the Delhi Sultanate led a campaign against them in which the Mongol army suffered serious defeats. Delhi Sultanate officials viewed war with the Mongols as one of the Sultan's primary duties. While Sultanate chroniclers described the conflicts between the pagan Mongols and a monolithic Muslim community in binary terms, the Delhi Sultanate being an island of Islamic civilization surrounded by heathens to its north and south, it ignored the fact that a large number of Sultanate elites and monarchs were of Turk/Mongol ethnicity or had previously served in their armed contingents. Background After pursuing Jalal ad-Din into India from Samarkand and defeating him at the batt ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Qutlugh Khwaja
Qutlugh Khwaja (d. 1299/1300) was a son of Duwa, the Mongol khan of Chagatai Khanate, division of the Mongol Empire. He became a chief of the Qara'unas in Afghanistan after Abdullah was recalled by the Khan to Central Asia in around 1298–1299. It seems that later Ilkhans allowed him to settle with his Qaranaus in Afghanistan, though they were struggling with each other. He launched several attacks on both the Delhi Sultanate and Ilkhanate. According to Rashid ad-Din, he was a threat to Mamluks in Delhi. In the end of 1299, a larger force under Khwaja reached the very outskirts of Delhi, leading to the Battle of Kili. Sultan Alauddin Khalji led his entire army to give battle to the Mongols — he engaged the Mongol center while his left wing broke the Mongol formation opposite them and penetrated into their rear lines. This created panic in the rest of the army and the Mongols retreated from Delhi. Qutlugh Khwaja was mortally wounded during his return from India in 1299–1300. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rampart (fortification)
In fortification architecture, a bank or rampart is a length of embankment or wall forming part of the defensive boundary of a castle, hillfort, settlement or other fortified site. It is usually broad-topped and made of excavated earth and/or masonry.Darvill, Timothy (2008). ''Oxford Concise Dictionary of Archaeology'', 2nd ed., Oxford University Press, Oxford and New York, p. 376. . Early fortifications Many types of early fortification, from prehistory through to the Early Middle Ages, employed earth ramparts usually in combination with external ditches to defend the outer perimeter of a fortified site or settlement. Hillforts, ringforts or "raths" and ringworks all made use of ditch and rampart defences, and they are the characteristic feature of circular ramparts. The ramparts could be reinforced and raised in height by the use of palisades. This type of arrangement was a feature of the motte and bailey castle of northern Europe in the early medieval period. Types of ram ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Citadel
A citadel is the core fortified area of a town or city. It may be a castle, fortress, or fortified center. The term is a diminutive of "city", meaning "little city", because it is a smaller part of the city of which it is the defensive core. In a fortification with bastions, the citadel is the strongest part of the system, sometimes well inside the outer walls and bastions, but often forming part of the outer wall for the sake of economy. It is positioned to be the last line of defence, should the enemy breach the other components of the fortification system. The functions of the police and the army, as well as the army barracks were developed in the citadel. History 3300–1300 BC Some of the oldest known structures which have served as citadels were built by the Indus Valley civilisation, where citadels represented a centralised authority. Citadels in Indus Valley were almost 12 meters tall. The purpose of these structures, however, remains debated. Though the structures foun ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bulandshahr
Bulandshahr, formerly Baran, is a city and a municipal board in Bulandshahr district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Bulandshahr district and part of Delhi NCR region. According to the Government of India, the district Bulandshahr is one of the Minority Concentrated Districts of India on the basis of the 2011 census data on population, socio-economic indicators and basic amenities indicators. The distance between Bulandshahr and New Delhi is 88.1 km. Etymology An early history of Bulandshahr and its origin of name is given by British District magistrate and collector for the Indian Civil Service, Frederic Salmon Growse, in a paper titled "Bulandshahr Antiquities" published in the ''Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal'' in 1879. Bulandshahr was founded as 'Baran' by the king Ahibaran. Since it was perched on a highland it came to be known as "high city", ( fa, بلند شهر), which translates as Bulandshahr in Persian ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kol Tehsil
Kol is a tehsil in the Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh, India. Kol is the old name for the city of Aligarh, and originally, the name was used for the area that is now covered by the Aligarh district. The present-day Kol tehsil is a part of Aligarh city. It covers the area beside the Grand Trunk Road. The origin of the name of Kol is obscure. In some ancient texts, Kol has been referred to in the sense of a tribe or caste, name of a place or mountain and name of a sage or demon. Ibn Batutah the famous Arab geographer and traveler has written an account of Kol in his travelogue. This was the area where he was robbed of all his possessions and left unclad: while en route to China from Delhi as Muhammad Tughlaq's envoy to Ukhaantu Khan's court. Which according to H A R Gibb "...spring some of the most lively passages of his narrative, such as his escape from Koel (the modern Aligarh)."Travels In Asia And Africa, 1325-54 By Ibn Batuta, translated by H A R Gibb References S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yamuna River
The Yamuna ( Hindustani: ), also spelt Jumna, is the second-largest tributary river of the Ganges by discharge and the longest tributary in India. Originating from the Yamunotri Glacier at a height of about on the southwestern slopes of Bandarpunch peaks of the Lower Himalaya in Uttarakhand, it travels a total length of and has a drainage system of , 40.2% of the entire Ganges Basin. It merges with the Ganges at Triveni Sangam, Allahabad, which is a site of the Kumbh Mela, a Hindu festival held every 12 years. Like the Ganges, the Yamuna is highly venerated in Hinduism and worshipped as the goddess Yamuna. In Hinduism she is the daughter of the sun god, Surya, and the sister of Yama, the god of death, and so is also known as Yami. According to popular legends, bathing in its sacred waters frees one from the torments of death. It crosses several states: Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, passing by Uttarakhand and later Delhi, and meeting its tributaries on the way, including ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ford (crossing)
A ford is a shallow place with good footing where a river or stream may be crossed by wading, or inside a vehicle getting its wheels wet. A ford may occur naturally or be constructed. Fords may be impassable during high water. A low-water crossing is a low bridge that allows crossing over a river or stream when water is low but may be treated as a ford when the river is high and water covers the crossing. Description A ford is a much cheaper form of river crossing than a bridge, and it can transport much more weight than a bridge, but it may become impassable after heavy rain or during flood conditions. A ford is therefore normally only suitable for very minor roads (and for paths intended for walkers and horse riders etc.). Most modern fords are usually shallow enough to be crossed by cars and other wheeled or tracked vehicles (a process known as "fording"). Fords may be accompanied by stepping stones for pedestrians. The United Kingdom has more than 2,000 fords, and most ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Caravan (travellers)
A caravan (from Persian ) or cafila (from Arabic ) is a group of people traveling together, often on a trade expedition. Caravans were used mainly in desert areas and throughout the Silk Road, where traveling in groups aided in defense against bandits as well as helped to improve economies of scale in trade. Some of the first caravans on the Silk Road were sent out by Emperor Wu of Han in the 2nd century BCE when this vast network of roads was 'born', and as China began exporting large quantities of silk and other goods west, particularly destined for the Roman Empire. Description In historical times, caravans connecting East Asia and Europe often carried luxurious and lucrative goods, such as silks or jewelry. Caravans could therefore require considerable investment and were a lucrative target for bandits. The profits from a successfully undertaken journey could be enormous, comparable to the later European spice trade. The luxurious goods brought by caravans attracted many ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Siege Of Chittorgarh (1303)
In 1303, the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji captured the Chittor Fort from the Guhila king Ratnasimha, after an eight-month-long siege. The conflict has been described in several legendary accounts, including the historical epic poem ''Padmavat'', which claims that Alauddin's motive was to obtain Ratnasimha's beautiful wife Padmini; this legend is considered historically inaccurate by most historians. Background The Mewar region in north-western India was ruled by the Guhila dynasty, whose seat was located at the Chittor Fort (''Chittorgarh''). In 1299, Alauddin's general Ulugh Khan had raided the Mewar region on his way to Gujarat. However, this appears to have been a light raid rather than a serious invasion. The Guhila king Samarasimha protected his country from the raiders, possibly by paying a tribute. In 1301, Alauddin conquered Ranthambore, which was located between Delhi and Chittor, and then returned to Delhi. The same year, Ratnasimha ascended the throne ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Samana, Punjab
Samana ( pa, ਸਮਾਣਾ) is a town and a municipal council in Patiala district in the Indian state of Punjab. Before Independence, Samana was a part of Patiala Kingdom (PEPSU). Now it is a part of Patiala District of Punjab (India). Geography It has an average elevation of 240 metres (787 feet) with Latitude 30.1583 and Longitude 76.1931. It is located on State Highway(SH-10) between Patiala and Patran. The distance between Patiala and Samana is 26 km (kilometers) or 16.3 miles. Samana was named after the wife of Ali al-Ridha, respected by both Sunnis and Shias, by their five sons (namely Imam Mash'had Ali) who moved from Mashhad to the present day Samana because of political tensions with the then Abbasid Caliphate's Caliph Al-Ma'mun after Al-Ma'mun poisoned and killed their father Imam Ali al-Ridha. After they got settled in the area, they named the place after their mother; Later, Mash'had Ali died there and his shrine is also located there and many M ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dipalpur
Dipalpur ( pa, ; ur, ), also spelt Depalpur, is a city in the Okara District of Pakistani province of Punjab that served as headquarters of Depalpur Tehsil, the largest Tehsil of Pakistan. It is situated 25 kilometres from the district capital Okara on a bank of river Satluj in Bari Doab. It is located in the west of District Kasur. History Early Depalpur has a great historic past and is a very ancient town. The fortified town of Dipalpur is built on an old Kushan site ( 40 A.D. to 172 A.D.). The fortifications themselves are very ancient; though it is impossible determine their dates. All that can be said is that they are older than the visitation of Timur in 1398 A.D. From the time of Alexander to the time of Mahmud Ghaznavi, there were no found accounts of Dipalpur. According to the Gazetteer of 1935, the town was claimed to be founded by Sri Chand Khanna it was called Sri Nagar at that time, The modern name is claimed to have been named by Raja Deva Pala after he re ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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